Avalanche goalie Giguere announces retirement

Colorado Avalanche goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere announced his retirement Thursday after 16 seasons in the NHL.

The 37-year-old earned 262 victories in 597 regular-season games and won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. Giguere won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2003, when the Ducks lost the Cup Final to the New Jersey Devils in seven games.

Giguere, a first-round pick (No. 13) of the Hartford Whalers in the 1995 NHL Draft, finished 262-216-50 with 25 ties, a 2.53 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and 38 shutouts for the Whalers, Calgary Flames, Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Avalanche. He went 33-17 with a 2.08 GAA and .925 save percentage in 52 playoff games.

According to the Avalanche website, Giguere announced his retirement in Quebec with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada hockey team, where he is a part owner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise.

Giguere spent the past three seasons in a backup role with the Avalanche. He played in 72 games for Colorado and went 31-21-8 with a 2.51 GAA and .914 save percentage. He went 11-6-1 in 22 games last season with a 2.62 GAA and two shutouts.

"On behalf of the Colorado Avalanche, I would like to congratulate Jean-Sebastien on an outstanding hockey career," executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said. "His achievements speak for themselves, from winning the Stanley Cup to winning the Conn Smythe, Jiggy was always a top-notch goaltender. He was also a very important part of our team during the past three seasons, providing veteran leadership and stability in net. We wish him and his family the best of luck."